If you have head lice, you may be experiencing itching and might have noticed tiny lice or eggs on your hair strands. Head lice are spread through direct contact with a person who already has head lice; the head lice can also be transmitted from bedding, clothing and hair accessories. According to MayoClinic.com, head lice feed off of the blood from your scalp. Head lice can be treated at home with natural cures. To naturally kill all head lice, you must clean your environment and your hair.
In the Home
Step 1
Wash all personal items to kill head lice. According to MayoClinic.com, lice will die after 2 days of not feeding, and nits will die if they are not kept at room temperature for a week. Wash all clothing, bedding, cloth toys, hats and other affected items in hot water. Place all hair combs, brushes and hair accessories in hot, soapy water for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Dry the items on the highest heat setting of your dryer for at least 20 minutes. Use the highest setting of your hairdryer to dry your hair brushes and accessories.
Step 3
Keep clean items free of more head lice. Place all clean items in a tightly sealed plastic bag. This method continues to starve any remaining head lice and kills newly hatched head lice. Keep the items sealed for at least 4 days.
Step 4
Vacuum your house to remove and nits and head lice in the environment. Be sure to vacuum all carpets and upholstered furniture that head lice may be living on. Immediately throw away the vacuum bag to keep head lice out of the house.
In Hair
Step 1
Use vinegar to kill head lice naturally. Thoroughly wet your hair with vinegar and cover your head with a shower cap or bandanna. Leave the vinegar in for an hour, then shampoo your hair. Repeat for two to three days.
Step 2
Saturate your entire head with mayonnaise and wrap your hair for an hour. Thoroughly shampoo your hair to remove all mayonnaise. Mayonnaise will not only kill adult head lice, but it also will kill nits and prevent the head lice from multiplying.
Step 3
Mix lemon juice with a ground garlic glove to create a natural head-lice-killing solution. Apply this solution to your hair at night and wrap your head with a shower cap or bandanna. The odor in the solution will kill head lice. Shampoo your hair in the morning to remove all dead head lice. Repeat this for five nights in a row.
Step 4
Use tea tree oil in combination with shampoo to kill lice on a daily basis. Add 15 drops of tea tree oil to a bottle of shampoo and shake thoroughly. Empty a small amount from a full bottle of shampoo to help with mixing. Use once a day on your hair for 5 to 7 days.
Tips and Warnings
- Comb wet hair with a lice-removing comb to get rid of all lice and nits.
- Never use a plastic bag to wrap hair; this can present a serious suffocation danger to small children.
Things You'll Need
- Hair dryer
- Plastic bags
- Vinegar
- Shower cap or bandanna
- Shampoo
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Garlic clove
- Tea tree oil
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